Keys to Selecting The Best Hire and Reducing Turnover

JOB COMPATIBILITY

The first question to answer is "Is the individual'compatible with what you are asking him to do?" Many corporations today have career broadening assignments for their employees. The notion is based on the idea that the broader the experience, the better the employee. Unfortunately, many employees are miserable in career broadening assignments because their personalities are not compatible with what they are being asked to do. Their performance lags. They become frustrated and what was once a rising star becomes a management problem with an attitude. Usually, the employee leaves before the harried manager can determine the root of the problem. Doesn't it make sense to determine a person's compatibility with a new job BEFORE they are hired or promoted?

How is this done? First, test your most successful people in the position. The results will uncover job related traits. Then you model the results through  benchmarking.   Benchmarking creates a hiring or promotion standard by which you can judge whom of your employees or applicants is the most compatible with the position.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE

The second question to answer is "Does the individual have the skill set to do the job?" Usually this can be determined through good interviewing questions, checking references, and giving the applicant a "to do" that demonstrates the desired skills. .

WORK ETHIC

The third question we must answer is "Will the individual work?" For the answer, rely upon in-depth interview questions such as those questions listed below.

Mission / Sense of Purpose

Who is the most successful person you know in our industry?
What is your goal in life?
Tell me about your 5-year goal? Your 10 year goal?
For the first year or two, is there any reason why you wouldn’t be willing to commit to working 9am to 9pm, three to five days a week?

Tell me about something you have accomplished that required great perseverance?
Tell me about the jobs you have had that required self-discipline and perseverance?
Tell me about something that made you decide to give up and why?

Do you use a Day Timer? May I see it? (Look to see if it is filled out.)
How do you prioritize your "To Do" list?
Have you taken any seminars on time management? Which ones?

When we conduct our character and credit checks, will we find anything questionable?
Check driving, credit, criminal, and employment history.
Check personal references.

CONCLUSION

With hiring mistakes costing the average company $7,000-$10,000, competitive pressures necessitate "hiring right and promoting right" the first time. In order to do this, we must have a complete picture of an applicant's or employees strengths and weaknesses and how they will fit into your organization. This picture must include an assessment of their skills, their personality, their work ethic and consideration of compatibility with the immediate supervisor.